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Iowa's Legislative Session Slowly Winding Down, with a Few Big Items Left to Decide

kim reynolds
John Pemble/IPR file
Gov. Kim Reynolds

We’re headed into the last few weeks of the legislative session, and as usual for a Monday, IPR’s Clay Masters and Statehouse Correspondent Joyce Russell chatted about the legislature on Morning Edition.

Gov. Reynolds won’t face a primary challenge, but the possibility of a challenge hasn’t seemed to affect her work.  Russell says the governor had a limited legislative agenda this year, primarily consisting of the “Future Ready” workforce development legislation, which she has already signed. 

“Sanctuary cities” bill passes – awaiting Reynolds’ signature.  Russell says this was not part of the governor’s agenda, but she does support it. The legislation would deny state funds to local governments that don’t comply with requests from federal immigration authorities.  There are no formally-declared sanctuary cities in Iowa, though some cities and counties have policies requiring federal authorities to get a court order before they’ll continue detaining someone.

End-of-session watch:  Russell says she’s going out on a limb and predicting lawmakers won’t adjourn by their target date of April 17 (that’s when their per diem runs out).  She says Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver says he hopes the session will end by the end of this month, and that lawmakers will work “day and  night” to make that happen.

Clay Masters is the senior politics reporter for MPR News.
Clay Masters is the senior politics reporter for MPR News.